Separable section post of culvert marker



March 19, 1963 A. NORDENG SEPARABLE SECTION POST OF CULVERT MARKER Filed 001;. e, 1961 IN VE N TOR Aab/ph Nordeng 6 W flrw i ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 3,081,848 SEPARABLE SECTION POST OF CULVERT MARKER Adolph Nordeng, De Forest, Wis. Filed Oct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,734 Claims. (Cl. 189-28) Although my invention, in its broadest aspects, relates to improvements in posts which are characterized by a lower anchor or mounting portion and an upper portion separably securedthereto, it has particular reference to boundary and other markers for roadways.

For instance, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a visually prominent, strong and durable marker which can be readily installed in spaced series in either concrete or soil to indicate an outer side boundary of a dangerous roadway curve.

Another object is to provide a marker, as characterized, which can be readily attached, as a traffic warning indicator, to the ends of a metal or masonry culvert at opposite sides of a roadway.

A further and more specific aim of the invention is to provide novel means for not only wedgingly securing an upper post portion to its subjacent base portion, but also for positively anchoring said upper portion to the latter.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those versed in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawing in connection with the detailed description thereof that follows.

It is to be understood, however, that although the drawing discloses certain now preferred examples of the invention, same is to be taken as illustrative rather than li-mitative, since my inventive concept is susceptible of other mechanical expression within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts wherever they appear in the several views-'- FIG. 1 is a fragmentary section of a side of a roadway with subjacent metal and concrete culverts, to the ends of which latter have been secured a traflic warning marker embodying my invention, there being also employed a third ground-carried marker;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a culvert-carried marker base mounted on a metal culvert;

FIG. 3 is an inverted perspective of the lower basecarried end of an upper marker portion;

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail illustrating the wedging and upper marker section connecting action of one of the pivoted base-carried members;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of one of a pivoted basecarried member.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, 9 indicates a section of roadway beneath which passes a metal culvert 10 and an adjacent cement culvert 11, each provided with an upstanding warning marker 12. Another marker 12 is shown secured to a ground anchor 12x adjacent the culvert 10'.

Each post-form marker 12 comprises the ring-form metal base portion 12a and the upper and preferably Wooden portion 12b which is supported thereby. In the case of metal culvert 10, the marker base 12a is shown bolted (13) thereto, but welding or other securing means can be used. Nut carrying lag screws 13a secure the related marker base 12a to concrete culvert 11.

Rising from each ring-form base 12 are the crossed boss-defining steel walls which define four wings 14 and are functionally integral with one another and with base portion 12a. These boss-defining wings 14 are received in the corresponding crossed slots 15 which extend inwardly from the lower end of the upper post or marker section 12b. Each of the slots 15 in the lower end of the upper post or marker portion 12b will be of a depth corresponding to the height of the related wing portion 14, so as to fully receive the latter and dispose the lower end of post portion 12b on base 12a.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the upper end of each slot 15, at one side, terminates in a narrower surface groove 15a for the reception of combined wedging and anchoring arms 16. These anchoring arms are pivoted on rivets 17 carried by the respective wings 14 adjacent the outer edges of the latter. By preference, the inner ends of arms 16 lie against the respective back walls of the surface groove (15a) terminals of post or marker section slots 15, which grooves correspond in depth to the thickness of said arms 16. The upper portions of arms 16 are twisted right angularly to provide terminal tabs 16a, as shown.

Thus, when the upper post portion 1211 has been jammed down onto the base-carried wings 14 to be supported by the ring-form base 12a, the wedging and anchoring arms 16 will be in an outwardly swung, out of the way position, as will be understood from an inspection of FIG. 2. However, after the upper post or marker portion 12b has been installed as indicated, the wedging arms 16 are swing upwardly and inwardly so that the lower portions are started so to speak in the respective grooves 15a. Then, using a mallet, the lower and intermediate portions of arms 16 are driven edgewise into grooves 15a so that the terminal tabs 16a lie flat against the surface of marker portion 12b. Said tab terminals 16a (which are apertured as at 18) are now screwed or spiked to marker portion 12b, as indicated at 19'. A marked wedging action of the arms takes place in the grooves 15a, as will be appreciated, and the anchoring of the tab ends 16a of the arms to marker portion 1411 provides a substantially functionally integral post or marker 12.

As to the ground carried marker 12 (the rightmost one as seen in FIG. 1), its base 12a is bolted as at 20 to the flat head end 21 of the ground anchor 12x. The ground anchor 12x can be of any form of post but will preferably be of metal. It will, of course, be driven into the ground before application of marker base 12a thereto.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that I have provided simple, durable and efficient highway or oulvert marker or guard which can be conveniently applied at a desired location.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a sectional post or marker comprising a base section and a separable upper section carried thereby, an upstanding boss functionally integral with the base section and providing a plurality of radially spaced outwardly extending flanges, said upper post or marker section having a socket opening from its lower end and providing slots receiving said boss flanges, anchoring arms pivoted adjacent one end to the outer end portions of the respective flanges, and means anchoring the upper ends of the respective arms to said upper post or marker section whereby to provide a functionally integral-inservice post or marker.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said boss being provided by crossed plates so as to provide wings constituting said flanges.

3. In a sectional post or marker comprising a base section and a separable upper section carried thereby, an upstanding boss functionally integral with the base section and providing a plurality of radially spaced out- Wardly extending flanges, said upper post or marker sec tion having a socket opening from its lower end and providing slots receiving said boss flanges, anchoring arms pivoted adjacent one end to the outer end portlons of the respective flanges in a manner to dispose edge portions of said arms in a plane perpendicular to the plane of an outer surface portion of the upper post section, said upper post section having outer surface grooves as continuations of the respective socket-provided slots and into which grooves the lower and intermediate portions of said arms are adapted to be driven, laterally extending tabs formed adjacent the upper ends of said anchoring arms and flatly contacting outer surface portions of the upper post or marker section, and means anchoring said tabs to said upper post section whereby to provide a functionally integral-in-service post or marker.

4. The structure of claim 3, and said boss being provided by two crossed plates so as to provide four radial wings constituting said flanges.

5. The structure of claim 3, and said grooves being of minor width as compared to the width of said slots and also being at least slightly narrower than the thickness of said lower and intermediate arm portions that are driven thereinto, said arms being of metal so that the lower part of the upper post section above its bossreceiving socket is constituted by a laminated post material and metal structure which will substantially relieve the .boss and socket of stress in the event that the upper post portion is struck by a vehicle or other object.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 364,042 Richardson May 31, 1887 391,198 Saxon et al. Oct. 16, 1888 486,974 Knox Nov. 29, 1892 826,996 Cooke July 24, 1906 2,985,261 Kubesh May 23, 1961 

1. IN A SECTIONAL POST OR MARKER COMPRISING A BASE SECTION AND A SEPARABLE UPPER SECTION CARRIED THEREBY, AN UPSTANDING BOSS FUNCTIONALLY INTEGRAL WITH THE BASE SECTION AND PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY SPACED OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGES, SAID UPPER POST OR MARKER SECTION HAVING A SOCKET OPENING FROM ITS LOWER END AND PROVIDING SLOTS RECEIVING SAID BOSS FLANGES, ANCHORING ARMS PIVOTED ADJACENT ONE END TO THE OUTER END PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE FLANGES, AND MEANS ANCHORING THE UPPER 